Tractor



May 29, 1923.

D. F. GEIGER TRACTOR Original Filed Oct. 26, 1916 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 D. F. GEIGER May 29, 1923.

TRACTOR `Original Filed Oct. 26. 1916 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 29,' 1923.

- UNITED.- STATES DAVID F. carente, or MINNEArOLIs," MINNESOTA, AssIGNoR ARTHUR D. conn, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.-

1,456,730` YPAT551W,OFFICE'- ONE-THIRD To TRACTOR.

Appunti@ mea october 2c, '1916, serial No. 127,814. Renewed March 26, 1921.

T all whom z'zmay concern.' Be it known that I, DAVID F. GEIGER, a citizenl of the United States, residing vat Minneapolis, in the county'ofHen'nepin and Stateof Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tractors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tractors, the primary objectbeing to produce a power drivenl vehicle which will utilize a maximum amount of power produced by the prime mover for pulling a vehicle or implement over the ground. lVith my improvement great initial power is available at all times for overcoming large obstructions, and the application ofdriving force and the distribution of the weight of the-,parts places the center of gravity low down, making the vehicle diflicult to tip over and powerful in pullingcapacity. The mechanism interposed between the driving wheels and the prime mover is also extremely simple and effective in Operation, the amount of friction necessary'being reduced to a` minimum, and the flexibility of operation great. The arrangementJ of the parts makes thetractor effective on soft ground, as well as upon vhard and smoothly finished roads and the construction being. exceedingly simple and inexpensive lls a long felt want' in the naturepof a farm# ing implement; Y

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Fig. 1- is'y a plan of ymy invention; -Fig. y2 is a side elevation when one ofthe traction` wheels is 'removed'; Fig. 3 is a part sectional Viewv ofv the clutches showing the transmission frictionwpinion in disconnected position; Fig. '4 is another part sectional view of the partsshown in Fig. '8, the transmission, friction .pinion being shown inengaged position; Fig. 5 is anotherpart sectional view of the parts shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the transmission friction pinion being shown in still another engaged position; Fig. 6 -is a sidey elevation ofy a detail showing a portion of one of theoperating levers for shifting the friction pinions; Fig. 7 is an edge view of the'structureshown in Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a perspective of the -dog shown in F ig. 6.

In the drawings, let A and B represent.`

a pair of main traction wheels of compara-1 tively large, diameter having vbroad faced. pe-

i ripheries andcosaxially arranged in spaced serial No.' 455,986.

relation. T hese two wheels `are 'journaled upon a stationary -aXle or shaft 2.

from said shaft by bearing members 3 and 4 is a main carrier frame C of channel ,iron

construction lbraced and cross-braced 'in any suitable manner torigidly support the power,

frame is supported by an idle caster wheel`9,

which is swiveled by the yoke member 10 de#V pending fromthe rear end of the frame C and the draw bar l1 is pivotally secured centrally -between, the mai-n tractor wheels to the lower portion of the mainframe C-and extends rearwardly, a load'being lowdown in the mostefective` positiom' The idler need not be yemployed when the frameis secured to 'a load'in a-manner-to support the rearward portion thereof. i ower is applied to each of the main trac tor wheels by acounter shaft 12' journaled in bearings 13 on the frame7 aV driven pinion 14 on said counter shaftland an internal rack gear 15 with the teeth of lwhich the teethof said'pinion mesh, saidrack-gear `being se`-, cured tothe inner surface of the wheel by supports 16. v ThisI mechanism just described is duplicated on both sides ofthe machine,

Hung' the line of draftin pulling one set of mechanism being adapted to trans-l mit power and drive the wheel A, -while the other actsin a similar ynature indriving the wheel B. Eachv of the counter shafts 12 carries -a main sprocket wheel 17, which is` driven by a chain' belt' 18, said'chain belt in turn being driven bya sprocket-zpinion'l). This `portion ofthe mechanism- 4is calso in duplicate,V one set lbeing operatively con` nected with the projecting portion 7 ofthe crank shaft ofthe engine, while -the-other isV operatively connected with` the projecting; portion 8 ofthe crankshaft. v f Disposed on both of the projecting por-l tions 7 `and 8 o-f the crankshaft and adapted wheel. Referring particularly to the power transmitter E, and 21 are a pair of fii'ction gears acting as balance wheels having a pair of corresponding adjacent conical faces 22 land 23. The friction gear 20 is rigidly secured to the portion 8 of the crank shaft by the key 24 and is provided with an internal conica-l clutch surface 25, with which the Vclutch member 26 is adapted to move into and out of frictional engagementy to transmit motion from the crank shaft to the clutch member. The clutch member is formed with anoutwardly extending sleeve 27, which is mounted upon and free to turn on the extending member 8 of the crank shaft. The pinion 19 which isA adapted to assist in conveying motion to the traction wheel A is slidably secured on the sleeve 27 by a feather 28. The friction gear 21 is rigidly secured to the sleeve 27 by the key 29, the pinion 19 being interposed between the adjacent portions of said friction gears. A cup-member 30 is secured on the outer end of the projecting portion 8 of the crank shaft over the hub portion 31 of the friction gear 21 and contains a helical expansion vspring 32, which being seated in said cup and pressing against a shoulder 33 on the hub 31 tends to slide the sleeve and the clutch member 2G 'inwardly on the shaft with the friction surface of vthe clutch member 26Vinto engagement 'with the. conical surface 25 in the friction gear 20. Thus motion'is transmitted by the clutch 26 from the friction vgear 2O and crank shaft to the friction gear 21, unless the friction gea-r 21 is forced outwardly on the shaft with the clutch member 26 disengaged from the friction gear 20.

The operation of the power transmitters is controlled by the friction pinions Gr and Hl, the pinion G directlyr co-o-perating with the power transmitter E and the pinion H co-operating with the power transmitter F. These friction pinions are' similar in construction and operation anda description of one will therefore sufiice.' Referring 'to the pinion G, said pinion is mounted upon a longitudinally disposed shaft '35, which is slidably journaled in the bearing frame 36, which in turn is mounted on the main frame of the structure. This friction pinion has a conical surface 37, which is arranged -in outward position of the shaft 35 in contact wthth'e conical friction surface 22 of the friction gear 21. VVhensaid shaft is moved inwardly toward the aXiso-f the crank shaft the'friction gear 21 is engaged by the pinion 37 Vand the clutch disengaged from the friction gear 20 against the pressure. kThis movement disconnects the crank shaft of the-engine D from revolving or ydriving the traction-wheel A, it being understood that normally when "the vshaft 35 is in outward position andthe friction surface of the friction pinion Gr out of contact with the friction s`urface'22y of the friction gear 21 power is transmitted from the crank shaft to the traction wheel A, and said wheel revolved in a forward direction. movement of the shaft 35 inwardly forces thefriction pinion with its friction surface 37 into contact with both of the friction surfaces 22 and 23 on the friction gears 20 and 21. In this condition as illustrated in Fig. 4, the clutch member 26 is disengaged from the friction gear 2O and motion is transmitted from the friction gear v2O to the friction gear 21 and thence to the pinion 19 in a reverse direction, causing the traction wheel A to revolve backwardly. l,

The sliding movement of the shaft 35 -is controlled by hand by the driver who may.

rest upon the seat 40 near the rearward portion of the machine by a pair of rods 41 and 42, orother driving devices, the rod 41 being pivotally connected to an eye 43 on the controlling lever 44, while the rod 42 is `Con-k 4Continued sliding I nected to an eye 45 on the controlling lever Y y 46, there being an operating rod, and con# trolling lever for manipulating 'each of the friction pinions G and H. Each of the controlling levers slides over a quadrant 47 (see Fig. 2) and is pivoted ynear its lower end on one of the bearings 36 Which is mounted on the main frame. which'slides in thebearing 36 and carries one of the friction pinions is hingedlyconnected with the operating lever 44 by a pivot and slot connection 48. The lower depending portion of the operating lever 44 is at-` tached to a spring 49 which 'is anchored on the main frame of a machine and tends to draw the lever 44 andthe operating rod which it carries into vgoing ahead position of the vehicle as illustrated in Fig. 2. In.

this position, the operating lever rests against a stop 50 on the quadrant and the parts of the corresponding power transmit.

ter assume the position illustrated in Fig. 3. WhenV the operating `lever 44 is tilted `back into median position `and the parts of the power transmitter assume the position illustrated in Fig. 5, the dog 62 which is pivotally mounted by the pin 51 on the upper end of said lever engagesby its forward tooth 52 a notch'53 inthe quadrant and` holds the operating 'lever against returning into forward position and causes the corresponding friction pinion to disengage the clutch 26 from the friction gear with which it'cooperates without 'transmitting any motion to the `corresponding traction wheel. Contin` ued rearward pulling' ofthe corresponding operating rods 41 or 42 tilts the operating lever 44 backwardly until the friction pinion assumes the position illustrated in Fig.

4, whereupon motion is transmitted to the..

The end of the shaft 35V rodV is heldin backwardposition.v .While theoperating lever 44, is moving ,for-A ward again j into. medianl position, the dog* 62- sweeps overv'ashoulder 54 .onthe quadrant and is tiltedforivardly beyondthe notch, so that tliedog ivi-ll not .refengage the notchv 53 upon the forward return movement of the v operatinglever. lThe dog remainsin thispositionf until the operating lever/.is again` pulled backwardly from vgoing ahead position..- rllie dogisfformed. with-an upwardly project-ing meinber having-a pair o f forwardly and rearwardly inclined surfaces 57 over which apin 58. on a slide 59 engages. y, This slideis movable longitudinally onV the operating lever and is drawn downwardly by a spring 60, which is anchored` on said lever. In this manner the pin 58 rides on the upper portion ofthe dog and either holds the dog tilted forward or backward,

at tlie same time allowing it to be forced by the shoulder 54 into either of said positions.

Assuming the engine to be inoperation, the traction wheels canbe operated independently and caused to revolve forwardly or backwardly simultaneously by manipu# lating the operating rods 41 and 42. Vhen making a turn either of the wheels can be made to either stand still` or reverse, while the other is revolving forwardly, this action being easily controlled in muchl the sameV manner as driving a horse. The mechanism enables a quick and short turn to be made and is responsive to a very slight pull of the operating rods. The rearward portion of the operating rods may be supported by the rest 61, which is mounted transverselyv on the tractor frame immediately in front of the seat 40.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative, andthat theinvention can be carried out byvother means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect'by Letters Patent is:

l. Apparatus of the class set forth, comprising, in combination, a pair of revoluble tractor elements, a frame freely hung between said tractor elements, a power unit carried by said frame having a drive shaft, independent transmission elements interposed one between each of said tractor ele.- ments and said power unit, each of said transmission elements consisting of a pair of friction gears, one being coupled to the power unit and the other coupled to a tractor element and being urged toward and adapted to clutch the companionfriction gear, and

a frictionpinion interposedfbetween.said

gear-sand normally urgedoutf of :contact v with said friction. surfaces, saidpin'ionfbeing f.

slidable l to frictionally ,engage said .movable gear, disconnect ysaid frictiongears andthe driving motion]` b.etween said power unit and aftractorQelem-ent fandupon further thrust `movement .of said pinion `to engage both of the friction, surfaces ofv said friction gearsv and cause.- thereverse `reiolution. ,of a tractor wheel. I n Il.. f A 2. Apparatus. f @was .Savant-h. am@ prisms. :in combination a peirf f revoluble tractor elements, a` frame freelyhungbe tween said tractoi` elements, a power unit carried by said frame having adrive shaft,

independent transmission elements inter-4 posed one between each of said tractor elle; ments and said power unit, each ofsaid transmissionr elementsiconsisting of a pair ment of said pinion to engage both of the.

friction surfaces of said friction gears and ycause the reverse revolution of a tractor wheel, andvmea-ns for controlling thethrust movement of said pinion. 3. Apparatus of the class setfortlncomprising, in combination, a pair ofrevoluble ice tractor elements, a frame freely hung between said tractor elements, a power unit carried by said frame 'having a drivev shaft,` independent. transmission elements inter. posed one between each of said tractor ele-y ments and .said powerunit, each of said transmission-elementsl consisting of `a pair element and being urged toward and adapt- .ed to clutchthe companion friction gear, ak

slidablefto frictionally engage said movable gear, disconnectsaid friction lgears and the driving motion between said power unit and of'friction gears, one being coupled` tol-thefpower unit and-the other coupled to a tractor `r a tractor element and upon further thrust p movement'ofy said pinion to engage both of the friction surfaces of said friction'gears and cause the reverse revolutionof a tractor wheel, a lever for sliding said pinion,said

lever being urged into forward positionvv when the pinion is kdisengaged from said gears, pawl and ratchetmechanism associated with said lever for holding the latter in forward position and means associated l j I ,with said 'pWl Yand ratchet mechanism and lever for automatically releasing the lever by pulling the lever` backward and then perinitti'ng it to Swing orwztd.

` 4; Apparatus `ofl the dass set forth, corn-y pr'ising, inv Combination, a lpair of oo'axially aiij'a-nged drive Wheels having drive gearing, 'a vbody fin'e between a'ndhung from said `vlieel's, 'power Unit mounted vupon said ir'ne, L pair'o lindep'endent driving units mounted upon said frme and movable into three positions, each of said driving units being arranged to Communicate 'motion from 'said power unit to one of said Wheels, 'clutch i's mecliailism normally urging the pants of 'each of Said drvirigfun'tfs into a position to cause revolution of oneI of the Wheels 1n 'one direction, and movable into one posi.

tion in which the powerjs 'released from revolving Said 'wheel and into mother 'position 'which fthe powe-everses the direction 0f revolution of vsaid wheel, ai leverfo'r etuting .s-id clutch rnechani'srn into its three positions, a line lconnected to said level` 'and means' for holding said lever nmedan position, 'said last -rnentioned means being' ieleas'able by pulling on said line. 1

In testimony' whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

- DAVID F. GEIGER, 

